Exploring the simple selfish biases that make us caring, creative, and complex

About Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life

What do sex and murder have to do with the meaning of life? Oscar Wilde said "We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars.” But to see the stars -- to understand where human beings fit into the universe -- you have to be willing to look in the gutter -- to explore the simple selfish biases that link us with baboons, hyenas, chimpanzees, and naked mole rats. Ironically, studying those simple selfish biases helps us understand our generosity, creativity, and the emergence of human society.